Mixer



MIXER 7 Filed July 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet].

mum 1a m1 HIM 22 y l\ ,1 v 1 25 =1 23 26 E g 27 29 28 INVENTOR WILL/AM A. MQLEAN AT ORNEY Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MIXER William A. McLean, GenevmjN. .assignor to Geneva Processesginct, Geneva, N; Y; a corporation -01? New York Application-July ;2, 1941, Serial No. 400,755 2 Claims (or. 259-108) This invention relates to mixers and relates more particularly to the construction and ar rangement of the mixing elements thereof.

The invention is particularly applicable to mixers which are mounted at some considerable distance irom the driving means thereof wherein there is apt to be relative displacement, out of their true positions, of the mixing elements. The cooperatingparts of the mixing elements are frequently injured by this lateral movement of one mixing element with respect to the other.

It is, therefore; an object of thisinvent-ion to provide a mixer wherein the mixing elements snpport each other to obtain uniform spacing therebet-Ween around the cooperative working faces of saidelemen The type of mixer herein contemplated causes a flow therethrough which is quite intimate to the device and induces but a sluggish inefficient flow in the remainder of the mass being agitated.

The mixing 'time is, therefore, considerably lengthened.

Another object of the invention, therefore, is

to provide a mixer whereby the entire mass of material being mixed is thoroughly circulated and agitated by the pumping action of the mix!- ing elements.

A further object of the'invention is to provide" a mixer wherein fluids or liquids or suspended solids may be introduced into the mass being mixed, this phase of the invention being applicable to mixing where it isdesired to obtain chemical reactions, hydrogenation, chlorination; nitration, oxidation, and reductions, catalytic action, polymerization,- hydrolysis, saponification, condensation, precipitation, esterification, neutralization, extraction, and washing; or the reverse of these actions also may be obtained.

The objects of the invention will become more clear as the following specification progresses. The accompanying drawings, upon which said specification is based, show several, at present perfect, embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical partial elevational, partial sectional view of a mixer or like device incorporating features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view showing an alternate form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the invention applied to a mixer circulating in a direction opposite to that of the mixers of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the application of the invention to a mixer in which fluids-are introducedrrom an outside source to the mass of materials passing therethrough. g i

In that. embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 1, the mixer is shown as applied to a vessel such as the drum or tank 10. The mixer .assembly is supported upon said drum preferably by means of a support plate H which may be non-displaceably mounted upon said drum The type of mixer herein contemplated in cludes driving means such as the electric motor l2, said motor being fixed as to a plate I3 Which in turn is supported by support legs l4 adjustably held to the support plate H as by means of clamp bolts t5.

The .motor,in the present form, has its drive shaft 16 coupled to the shaft ll ,of one .of the mixing elements of the mixer by means of .a. This coupling .is preferably .sup-' ported by a bracket l9 which ,is adjustably secured to the support legs l5 by means such as,

coupling 1.8.

clamps 01* set screws 20. The bracket 19 is preferably provided with a bearing 2| for the shaft I1.

It will be noted from this assembly that the leg supports M may be vertically adjusted relatively to the support plate H to position the mixing unit 22 at a desired elevation with respect to the bottom of the drum H].

The mixer assembly preferably comprises a, rotor 23 fixed with the shaft I], and .a stator carried by the leg supports vI4 and secured. These mixing elements 23 and 24, unless.held"from"relative' 7i sidewise displacement, are apt at times to con-, tact each other at the working faces thereof to thereto as by means of nuts 25.

cause injury to said faces. Such relative movement is possible because of the considerable length of the shaft I I and the leg supports I4.

Seeking to obviate this fault, the present invention contemplates the provision of means to support one mixer element against relative lateral movement with respect to the other. One manner of accomplishing this is to provide a bracket 26 either integral with the stator 24 or mounted thereon as by the bolt means 21. This bracket is provided with a bearing 28 in which is disposed an extension 29 of the shaft l1.

It is apparent from the above that relative lateral movement between the mixer elements 23 and 24 is obviated by the provision of the bracket 26 and that it is immaterial to what degree the leg supports [4 fiex since thebearing 28 will impart like flexure to the shaft H.

In order to provide for more efilcient mixing height of which is preferably somewhat less than the height of the materials in the drum I!) so as to cause the circulation to follow a path from the-- bottom of the mixer downwardly and outwardly, then upwardly along the walls of the drum, and then inwardly and downwardly into the top open:

ing 3| of the column 30. If desired, the column 30 may be provided with openings 32 through which portions of the material being circulated may seek entry into the column and thus to the chamber 40 may then pass through orifices 42 in the rotor to the space between said rotor and the stator ring 43.

The materials above mentioned may also be introduced to the mixer through the stator and for this purpose the stator 24 is preferably cored as at 44 and connected to passages 45 formed in the legs supports I4 Orifices 46 maybe provided to bring these materials from the cored chamber 44 to the space between the mixer elements or through the orifices 41 to a point above the rotor on the inlet side of the mixer. As described for Fig. 1, the rotor shaft may be formed with an extension 29 disposed in a bearing 28 on the inlet of the mixing unit 22 at intermediate points Fig. 2 shows analternate construction wherein the shaft I1 is provided with a bearing'33 at a point abovethe rotor 23 and on the inlet side of thernixing unit. This form shows the bearing as being integral with the stator 24 which is height ened somewhat to accommodate the bearing and yet not impede the inlet flow.

The invention is readily applicable to a mixing unit inducing an upward flow of material therethijouglr, Such a unit is shown at 22 of Fig. 3. In this form, the stator 24 preferably comprises an {inlet portion 34 provided with a working face 35 cooperatingwith the rotor 23 and with an outlet part 36 having an upper wall 3'l provided may be applied to a mixing unit wherein a gas,

liquid, or finely divided particles may be introduced into the mass of materials being circulated through the mixer preferably at a point of greatest attenuation of the mass of materials. In this connection, reference is had to Fig. 4 wherein the rotor 23 is cored to provide a chamber 40 which receives the mentioned gas, liquid or powder under pressure from a passage 4| formed in the rotor shaft l|. The material conducted to the Such a column bracketl26'boltedas'at 21 to the stator 24.

' t From the above it may be seen that the objects of the invention have been realized to provide a mixer having novel features and advantages over prior structures. It can be seen, however, that despite the simplicity of the invention, embodiments' thereof may be conceived which vary from those disclosed but which follow the principles of the invention as definedin the following claims.

What'I claim as new and desire to secure by ity of outlet passages leading from the chamber to the workingface of said stator element, a conduit for conducting fluid from an outside source directly to said chamber and adjustable means for variably positioning the mixing elements with respect to ,each other.

2. A mixer or like device comprising a support plate, a motor 'mounted on said support plate, a

driven mixing element, a shaft on said element, a coupling connecting said shaft and said motor for driving said element, a stator mixing element cooperating with the rotor element, said stator element having an inlet opening and being formed with a fluid circulating chamber, a plurality of outlet passages leading from the chamber to the working face of said stator element, a conduit for conducting fluid from an outside source directly to said chamber, a hollow column coaxial with said shaft and forming an extensionof the inlet of the stator element and adjustable means for variably positioning the mixing elements with respect to each other. I

' WILLIAM A. McLEAN. 

